Recruiting international workers for UK viticulture in 2026: what’s changed, what’s next

The UK’s viticulture sector continues to expand and is the UK’s fast growing agricultural sub-sector. WineGB’s 2025 industry report counts 1,100+ vineyards, approximately 240 wineries, c.10.7m bottles, and rising sector employment to 3,300 full-time equivalent roles in 2024. Producers are now planning a 21% rise in full time roles by 2028 to ensure supply keeps up with the growing demand. That scale‑up underpins the sector’s labour needs across vineyard operations, wineries and cellar‑door hospitality.

Routes to hire: Seasonal Worker vs. Skilled Worker

Given the specialist nature of the skills required combined with the challenge of remote rural work site locations, hiring workers domestically is ever more challenging. This means producers are forced to look further afield to international talent to fill vacancies; however, increasingly restrictive immigration policy creates barriers to recruitment requiring additional time, cost and resource requirements for business.

For hands on vineyard roles (pruning, canopy work, harvest crews), the primary route remains the Seasonal Worker visa (Horticulture – vines and bines), allowing placements of up to six months at a time.The route is open year-round for horticulture and requires sponsorship by an approved scheme operator.

Capacity matters. The Government has confirmed the Seasonal Worker sponsorship allocation for the 2026 scheme is 41,000 horticultural workers – a slight reduction on 2025 but that the NFU describes as “sufficient”. A helpful rule change now also means that from 11 November 2025 seasonal horticultural workers can work up to six months in any 10‑month period (previously this was 6 months in 12), improving return rates and continuity for growers.

By contrast, year-round roles (e.g. vineyard managers, viticulture consultants, winery production managers) will fall under the Skilled Worker visa route – a category allowing full time permanent recruitment with direct employment by the producer without need to engage a scheme operator. Eligibility centres on higher skilled job codes and salary thresholds. Many mid-skill vineyard roles are no longer eligible unless specifically provided for under the Government’s evolving shortage framework and with minimum salaries for sponsorship as high as £55,000 per annum, recruiting internationally may not be viable for many SMEs in the sector.

Vacancies and the productivity stakes

The Government has acknowledged persistent labour pinch‑points and is co‑funding up to £50 million in horticulture automation to ease pressure rather than rely on international workers. But tech-based innovation will take not only investment but time to develop, leaving producers in the interim without an immediate solution to staffing challenges and rising costs that impact not just profitability but overall viability for many in the industry. The FSA notes that horticulture has faced structural labour shortages since Brexit/COVID19, reinforcing the case for timely seasonal recruitment and retention of returners. The FSA is also clear that whilst “work within food systems is often classed as unskilled or lower skilled…most of these occupations require tacit procedural knowledge that is acquired over time” putting it at odds with the Home Office’s restrictive approach.

Earned Settlement: why the consultation matters for sponsors

Although Seasonal Worker visas do not lead to settlement, many wineries sponsor permanent staff under Skilled Worker route. The Government’s “Earned Settlement” open consultation (closed on 12 Feb 2026) proposes a 10-year baseline to Indefinite Leave to Remain, with accelerated or lengthened routes based on contribution, integration and conduct (e.g. NI contributions, higher English level), and implementation expected in Autumn 2026. If enacted, sponsors may face longer retention horizons and higher cumulative costs (e.g. more years of Immigration Skills Charge) before employees can settle – factors to build into workforce plans and total reward packages.

UK vs. EU wine producers: labour mobility

EU producers continue to benefit from free movement for EU citizens, drawing seasonal crews across borders without the UK’s visa formalities; third country nationals in the EU are also covered by the Seasonal Workers Directive. This intra EU mobility cushions labour gaps – though concerns about conditions and enforcement persist – whereas UK viticulture must secure places under capped visa schemes, traverse rising costs and eligibility criteria and comply with complex framework of sponsor duties. The disparity between workforce access inevitably dampens the pace at which one of the UK’s most promising growing exports can compete on an international stage.

Practical takeaways for UK vineyards and wineries

1. Engage early with scheme operators to secure Seasonal Worker places aligned to pruning/harvest windows; use the new 10‑month/6‑month flexibility to increase return rates.
2. Review your existing sponsored workers – are you able to retain them under the new immigration rules impacting visa extensions.
3. Model workforce costs under potential new Earned Settlement rules.